I'm Being Audited! Now What?

We have almost completed the fourth quarter for 2013. Are your credentials requirements up to date? After reviewing our client base and their license renewal requirements, there are a significant number of jurisdictions, nine for architects, fourteen for engineers, and nine for landscape architects due in December 2013. The learning unit and professional development hours range from eight annually to thirty biennially.

Continuing education is a condition of renewal held by jurisdiction statutes.

Now is a good time to evaluate your completed and pending continuing education requirements. Professionals of the built environment have numerous options for continuing education, including seminars, lunch & learns, online continuing education that may be free or require a small fee, industry conferences, university courses, and something as simple as reading a specific approved article for self-reporting purposes.

Are you prepared for an audit?

The easy to ignore elephant in the room is a potential audit. Typically the audit process is initiated at the time of license renewal. However, certain jurisdiction rules allow random audits immediately following license renewal. It can be daunting if you are not prepared to submit the proper required documents or if you have not maintained complete records for professional licensure.

How complicated can an audit be?

The following are examples of some jurisdiction auditing procedures:

• A random computer audit selection occurs during license renewal or after license renewal has been completed.
• A letter sent requiring licensee to prepare and submit certificates of completion, transcripts, jurisdiction log form with chronological completed continuing education credits, license renewal form, and renewal fee.
• Jurisdictions may require electronic submissions, hard copies mailed or both.
• Jurisdiction staff and licensing board reviews audit licensee's documentation.
• Fine/fees will be charged for noncompliance of continuing education requirements. As an example in Ohio - $500 to $1500 for the total number of delinquent continuing education credits may be assessed.
• Typical compliance periods range from 30 days to as much as 120 days.
• Ultimately, if the jurisdictional license board determines compliance has not been met, you may be required to fulfill a reinstatement process. This process may include three references, a documented list of all projects you have been working on since your license has been canceled, and yes you are still required to complete the delinquent continuing education!

Simplify your life by managing your most valuable resources, your licenses, your professional affiliations, and your continuing education requirements.

Lexi Selvig, CDT, President, LS Credentialing Services LLC, is a registered consultant on Industry Speaks. She can be reached at info@AECredentialing.com